Processes for synthesizing 1233xf are known. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 7,795,480 discloses a process for preparing 1233xf via the gas-phase reaction of 1,1,2,3-tetrachloropropene, 2,3,3,3-tetrachloropropene, or 1,1,1,2,3-pentachloro-propane with hydrogen fluoride (HF) in the presence of a catalyst and a stabilizer. However, this process suffers from catalyst deactivation resulting in a low yields and a need for catalyst regeneration.
Other processes for the production of 1233xf exist. See for example, U.S. Patent Application Ser. No. 61/202,966, which discloses a method of 1233xf production via vapor phase non-catalytic fluorination of tetrachloropropene or pentachloropropane at high temperatures exceeding 300° C. This method suffers from low yields due to instability of starting materials at high temperature in the presence of HF which facilitates undesired side reactions resulting in undesired by-product formation.
The high operating temperatures and undesired by-product formation disclosed in the above referenced documents result in high operating and production costs. Accordingly, there remains a need for a process for producing 1233xf in high yields. This invention satisfies that need.